Heating system



Nov. 26, 1935'.

F. A. FURLONG I 2,022,033 HEATING SYSTEM Filed July 24. 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENT OR.

FRANCIS A.FZ//?L o/vc ATTORNEY.

Nov. 26, 1935. A, QFURLONG 2,022,033

HEATING SYSTEM Filed Jilly 24, 1935 s Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

FRANC/J A. FuRL 0N6 I I ATTORNIY. I:

F. A. FURLONG HEATING SYSTEM Filed July 24, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 LWJ INVENTOR. FR/l/vc IS A. FY/P ON ATTORNEY.

Nov. 26, 1935.

f 3 i v4 IIIIII-IIIIII Patented Nov. 26, 1935 UNITED STATES" HEATING SYSTEM Francis A. Furlong, River Forest, 111., assignor to Autogas Corporation, Chicago, 111., a corporation' of Delaware Application July 24, 1935, Serial No. 32,844 17 Claims. (01; 158-1171) This invention relates to devices for igniting the burners of heating systems, and is illustrated as embodied'in' a conversion gas burner intended for domestic use.

An object of the invention is to provide a novel lighter for the burner having means preventing its use unless the main fuel supply is turned off,

and the heating system is otherwise ready to have the pilot lighted. FI'his prevents explosions due to lighting the pilot when the furnace is full of gas, on account of the fuelyalve sticking when the pilot-controlled safetydevice attempts to turn off the fuel when the pilot goes out, and

in fact I prefer to arrange the lighter so that it cannot be operated even ,if the fuel valve is opened intentionally.

Preferably, when the pilot is out either because the entire heating plant has been out of use or because the pilot has been blown out accidentally while in use, a switch or other control'is automatically set to cause the main fuel valve or its equivalent to be shut off. After the pilot is lighted it heats up and actuates the control so that it permits the fuel valve to be opened; although the actual opening of the valve is not usually controlled by the pilot but by other means such as a. thermostat in the room to be heated.

This feature of the present invention also has to do with the novel construction. of such a lighter 3 for conveniently relighting the pilot or its equivalent under these conditions, and to its arrangement so that it cannot be operatedunless the fuel valve is shut off. If desired, it may also be arranged sothat the lighter cannot be operated terminates at a point where a flame issuing there-- from will ignite the pilot. The lower end of the lighter is shown in a conveniently accessible position outside the furnace, bei ng provided with a manually operated valve which controls the admission of fuel to the lighter-tube. v

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, access to this valve is controlled by a guard or safety device which cannot be removed unless the main fuel valve is shut. For example, the main fuel valve may have a part such as a. vertical plunger which is shifted downwardly by the openingof the valve and which then extends into the path of movement of the guard so that the latter cannot be opened to give access to the lighter valve.

As pointed out above, the guard may if desired 5 also be connected tov the door of the furnace so that it is positively held over the lighter valve unless the furnace door is open. v

The above and other objects and features of the invention, including various novel combina- 1otions of parts and desirable particular constructions, and especially certain advantageous constructions and arrangements'of the parts of the lighter and its guard and themeans for controlling the guard, will be apparent from the follow- 15 ing description of the illustrative embodiment shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a perspective view of the main burner, the pilot, the main fuel valve and its motor, the pilot-controlled switch' for the motor, 20 and the novel lighter;

Figure 2 is a corresponding view of the lighter as it is being used to ignite the pilot, and with the guardraised;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the upper end 25 of the lighter tube, showing the opening along the bottom to admit air;

Figure 4 is a side elevation of the pilot-controlled switch for the main fuel valve actuating means, with one side, removed to show the switch 3 inside elevation;

Figures 5 and 6 areviews like Figure 4 but with the switchin different positions;

Figure? is a perspective view of the'heating' plant, showing the guard held closed to prevent 35 lighting the pilot when the furnace door is closed;

Figure 8 is a. partial perspective view corresponding to part of Figure 7, but showing how the opening of the door permits the guard to be raised; 0

Figure 9 is an end elevation of the main fuel valve motor and the interlocking plunger and the lighter guard, looking from the left in Figure 1;

Figure 10 is a similar view, with most of the motor omitted,- and showing the raising of the interlocking plunger to release the guard when the fuel valve is closed; 7:

' Figure 11 is' a sectional view of the-lighter taken substantially on the line il -H of Fig- 50 ure 13; I

Figure 12 is a view similar toFigure 11 taken substantially'on the line l2l2 of Figure 13;

Figure 13 is a view-from the left of Figures 11 and 12 with parts in section; and ,l 55

Figure 14 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the electrical control circuit.

In the drawings my invention is shown embodied in a novel lighter for the pilot of a conversion burner I0 arranged in a furnace or other heating plant I2, as described in my prior application No. 679,521, filed July 8, 1933.

As more fully described in said application No. 679,521, the conversion burner in the form illustrated comprises a rectangular outer box supporting a ceramic radiant structure (not herein shown) heated by a main burner I4 to which a mixture of fuel and air is supplied through a Venturi tube or the like I6. While the present invention is applicable to lighters for other fuels, the furnace herein illustrated uses gas supplied to the Venturi tube I6 through a main fuel valve I8 arranged to be opened and. closed by means such as an electric motor 20 controlled by electric connections 22. I

The connections 22 form part of a control circuit fully described in my said prior application, and which includes a mercury safety switch 24 or its equivalent. The switch 24 opens the circuit automatically if the pilot goes out. The illustrated pilot includes a pilot burner 26 arranged in any desired manner to have its flame ignite the main burner I4.

Arranged to be controlled by the presence or absence of a flame on the pilot burner 26 is a loop-shaped bimetallic thermostat 38 pivotally connected at its lower end as described in said prior application to an actuating rod or the like 32. Pilot burner 26 may be supplied with fuel through a pipe 34 which also serves as a rigid connection between a head 36 carrying the thermostat 30 and a safety switch or other control box 38. I,

The pipe 34 connects to the main fuel line 40 between the usual pressure-regulating valve 42 and the main fuel valve I8, or ahead of the pressure-regulating valve if desired, so that the fuel for the pilot is not controlled by valve I8.

The thermostatically-actuated rod 32 is connected to a pivoted support or lever 44 carrying Figure Whemthe pilot is burning, the thermostat heats up and tilts the switch to the closed position of Figure 5.

Figure 14 illustrates the control circuit which controls operation of valve I8 and consequently the main burner. As shown one contact of the switch 24 is connected to one side of a transformer I I, the other side of which is connected to one side of the motor 20. The other side of motor 20 is connected through a lead I3 with the high contact of a'double contact room thermostat, the low contact of which is connected through a lead I5 with the other of switch 24-.

The room thermostat is constituted by a bimetal strip I1 rigidly fastened at one end and whose free end carries a second strip adapted to engage the high contact. A spring member I9 is secured to the strip I'I and is adapted to engage the low contact of the thermostat. Strips "and I8 are so connected that strip I9 will engage the A fixed contact 2| is connected to the lead |3 in a position to be engaged by a pivotally mounted contact 23. The bimetal strip I1 is connected to contact 23 which is so positioned that. it is adapted to be moved into engagement with contact 2| by upward movement of the stem 25 of valve I8. Thus contacts 2| and 23 are closed when valve I8 is open.

With the pilot burning and switch 24 closed, when the room temperature drops sufliciently to 5 cause strip I1 to move into engagement withthe high contact a circuit through the motor 20 will be completed from transformer I I through switch 24, lead I5, strip I8, strip I'I, lead I3, motor 20 and back to the transformer. At this time valve I8 10 will be opened admitting gas to the main burner.

As the room temperature rises strip I1 will deflect and move away from the high contact but strip I9 will remain in engagement with the low contact. In this position a circuit will be com- 15 pleted through the motor from the transformer through switch 24, lead I5, strips I9 and I1, contacts 23 and 2|, lead I3 and through the motor back to the transformer. Thus the valve I8 will .remain open until the room temperature rises 20 sufliciently so that the strip I! will move strip I9 away from the low contact when the circuit through the motor will be interrupted and the valve will close.

It will be apparent from an inspection of the 26 circuit that unless switch 24 is closed motor 20 can never be energized to open the valve. Thus it is assured that unless the pilot is burning and switch 24 closed, no gas will be admitted to the main burner.

The motor 28 can normally (with the safety switch 24 in the position of Figure 5) be actuated to open valve I8 by depressing a manual switch lever 48, which is also depressed automatically by the automatic opening of the valve. With the 86' valve open, the lever 48 isin the position of Figure 9; with the vave closed the lever 48 is in the position of Figure 10.

, Lever 48 is arranged to engage and depress a safety plunger 50 guided vertically in a support 40 52 on the front of the switch box 38 and urged upwardly by means suchas a spring 54. Plunger 50 may be made adjustable by providing a setscrew 56 in its upper end.

In order to facilitate lighting the pilot burner 45 26, a lighter tube 60 is'mounted at one end on the head 36 and at the other end on a support 62 which carries the switch box 38 and which forms part of the end of the burner box In outside the furnace I2. The lighter tube is inclined upward- 5o ly and terminates adjacent and above the pilot burner 26, so that a flame issuing from the upper end of the lighter will ignite the pilot burner.

The lighter tube receives its fuel at its forward end under the control of a push-button valve 64 65 from the pipe 66 which also feeds the pilot burner pipe 34, and receives the air necessary for combustion of the fuel from an opening 68 along its bottom (Figure 3). As shown in Figures 11, 12, and 13, the pipe 66 discharges into a bore 6| in 60 the lower part of box 38. A nozzle 63 communicates with bore 6| and pipe 34 to supply gas thereto and to the pilot. A small passage 65 leads off from bore 6| and opens into the lighter tube 60 to supply gas thereto, admission of gas to this as passage being under the control of valve 64 as will be clear from Figure 14. With the valve 64 opened and a match held below the lower end of the opening 68, the mixture within the tube is ignited, the flame traveling up the tube (Figure 70 2) and igniting the pilot burner inside the furnace.

An important feature of the present'invention relates to preventing the inadvertent opening of the valve 64 when the main fuel valve I8 is open, 7

thereby preventing the lighting of the pilot unless the main fuel supply is turned off. The means illustrated for this purpose includes a pivoted guard which normally covers the pushbutton 64 and which must be lifted in order to operate the lighter. The guard L0 is shown provided with a projection I2 which -engages the plunger 50 if the latter is depressed by the opening of'the main fuel valve (Figure 5). If the main fuel valve is closed (Figure 4) the plunger 50, is out of the path of movement of the projection 12.

If desired, and as an additional safety measure, the guard HI may be connected by means suchas a chain I4 to the door 16 of the furnace or heating plant l2, as shown in Figures 7 and 8,'so that the guard cannot'be raised unless the door is open, thereby insuring suflicient draft to clear or breakage of some kind the valve does not close as it should when the pilot has gone out.

While one illustrative embodiment has been described in detail, it is not my intention to limit the scope of the invention to that particular embodiment or otherwise than by the terms of the appended claims. The present application is a partial continuation of my application No. 515,375, filed February 12, 1931, and of my application No; 695,248, filed October 26, 1933.

I claim: v v

1. A heating unit or the like comprising a main burner having a fuel-supply control device, a

pilot burner adjacent the main burner, means responsive to the flame of the pilot, burner 'to actuate the fuel-supply control device torshut off the fuel supply to the main burner whenthe pilot burner is extinguished, a door affording access to the interior of the heating unit, alighter for the, pilot burner, control means for the lighter, a guard controlling eflecti've access to the control means, means operable by the fuel supply control device for preventing movement of the guard to device for preventing movement of the guard to give access to the lighter when the fuel-supplygive access to the control means when the fuelsupply' control device is in open position, and

means preventing movement of the guard to give access to the lighter and connected to be controlled by the position of said door.

2. A heating unit or the like comprising a main burner having a fuel-supply control device, a pilot burner adjacent the main burner, means responsive to' the flame of the pilot burner to actuate the fuel-supply control device, to shut off the fuel supply to the main burner when the pilot burner is'extinguished, a lighter for the pilot burner, control means for the lighter, a guard controlling effective access to the control means, and means connected to the fuel supply control control device is in open'position.

3'. A heating unit or the like comprising a main {burner having a fuel-supply control device, a pilot burner adjacent the main burner, means responsive to'the flame of thepilot burner to actuate the fuel-supply control device to shutcfl? the fuel supply to the main'burner when the pilot burner is extinguished, a lighter for the pilot burner, control means for the lighter and means connected to the fuel supply control device for preventing operation of the control means when 5 the fuel-supply control device is turned on.

4. A heater comprising, in combination with a main burner having a fuel control valve and a pilot burner therefor having means including thermal means responsive to the temperature of 10 the pilot and operative to control the position of said valve, and a lighter for the pilot burner having means operatively connected to the valve for preventing its operation when the valve is turned on. v

5. A heater comprising, in combination with a main and a pilot burner arranged inside said heater, a door in said heater affording access to the space containing said burners, a lighter for the pilot burner,'contro l means for the lighter, 10 means for preventingv operation of the control means, and a connection between said preventing means and the door whereby the preventing means is controlled-by the position of said door.

6. A lighter comprising an upwardly-inclined 2'5 tube having a fuel supply means and a control valve therefor at its lower end and havingan air intake opening along its lower side substantially throughout its length, and a pilot burner assembly comprising a burner head and a control valveao support having a rigid connection therebetween and which support the opposite ends of said tube, one end of said tube being supported in igniting relationship .to the pilot burner.

'7. A lighter comprising an upwardly-inclined tube having a fuel supply means and a control valve therefore at its lower end and having an air intake opening along its lower side substanbetween.

8. 'A heater comprising; in combination with a main burner having a fuel control valve and a. pilot burner therefor, a lighter for the pilot burner havinga control valve, and means operatively connected to the main burner valve for 50 preventing access to the control valve of the lighter when the main burner control valve is turned on. I 1 9. A heater comprising, in combination with a main burner having a fuel control valve and a 55 pilot burner therefor, a lighter for the pilot burner having a controlvalve, and a pivoted guar'd operatively connected to the main burner valve for preventing access --to the control valve of the lighter when the main burner control 60 valve is turned'on.

10. A heater comprisingjin' combination with a main burner having a fuel control valve and a pilot burner therefor, a lighter for the pilot bumer having a control valve, a guard normally pre-- cs venting access to the control valve of the lighter and movable to permit such access, and means operatively connected with the main burner control valve and guard for preventing movement of the guard for that purpose when the main 7o burner control valve is turned on.

11. A heater comprising, in combination with a main burner having afuel control valve and a pilot burner therefor, a lighter for the pilot burn-. er having a control valve, and an operating motor 15 for the fuel. control valve having a pivoted arm actuated by said motor and having associated therewith means including a guard preventing access to the lighter control valve when said fuel control valve is open.

12. A heater comprising, in combination with a main burner having a fuel control valve and a pilot burner therefor, a lighter for the pilot burner having control means, and an operating motor for the fuel control valve having a pivoted arm actuated by said motor and having operatively associated therewith means preventing the use of the lighter control means when said fuel control valve is open.

13. A heating plant comprising, in combination with a furnace having a side opening, a conversion burner assembly in the form of an elongated boxlike structure extending through said opening and including within said furnace a main burner and a constantly burning pilot burner therefor, and means for igniting the pilot burner including a lighter tube supported by the conversion burner assembly and having a normally closed valve mounted outside of the furnace, said lighter tube extending to a point inside of said furnace.

14. A heating plant comprising, in combination with a furnace having a side opening, a conversion burner in the form of anelongated boxlike assembly extending through said opening and having within the furnace a main burner and a pilot burner therefor, a main fuel valve for the main burner carried by said assembly outside the furnace, a lighter for the pilot burner carried by said assembly and operable from outside the furnace, control means for the lighter mounted on said assembly outside of the furnace and means operably connected to the main fuel valve for sion burner in the form of an elongated boxlike assembly extending through said opening and having within the furnace a main burner and a pilot burner therefor, means for turning on and off the fuelsupply for the main burner, aux- 5 iliary means including means operable in response to the pilot flame for turning off the fuel supply means when the pilot goes out, a lighter for the pilot burner carried by said assembly and operable from outside the furnace, control means for the lighter mounted on said assembly outside of the furnace, and means operably connected to the means for turning on and 01f the fuel supply for the main burner for preventing operation of the lighter control means when the fuel supply means for the main burner is turned on.

16. A conversion burner comprising an elongated box-like casing, a main burner and a pilot burner therefor and means for igniting said pilot burner all arranged adjacent each other at the 20 rear end of said casing, control devices for said main burner and said igniting means all arranged adjacent the front of said casing, and connections from the control devices respectively to the main burner and the igniting means all arranged 25 inside said casing.

17. A conversion burner comprising an elongated box-like casing, a main burner and a pilot burner therefor and means for igniting said pilot burner and a thermostatic device operatively associated with the pilot burner all arranged adjacent each other at the rear end of said casing, control devices for said main burner and said igniting means and an auxiliary control device for the main burner all arranged adjacent the front of said casing, and connections from the control devices respectively to the main burner and the igniting means and from the auxiliary control device to said thermostatic device all arranged inside said casing.

FRANCIS A. FURLONG. 

